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Ashtrays were the norm until maybe 30 years ago. There was some outrage over the USN buying replacement ashtrays for some E-2's and S-2's back in the late 80's, at a cost of over $200 each. Some people pointed out that a replacement ashtray for a current production car was about $50, so $200 did not sound bad. Others said they should use Mason jars and people replied that was not something you would want rattling around the cockpit.I don't know about the B-26, but the B-25 supposedly had lighters and ashtrays. Maybe that's why the Polish crews of the RAF 305 squadron called them Cadillacs...
Just some of the amenities available to the crew aboard a B-26:Ashtrays were the norm until maybe 30 years ago. There was some outrage over the USN buying replacement ashtrays for some E-2's and S-2's back in the late 80's, at a cost of over $200 each. Some people pointed out that a replacement ashtray for a current production car was about $50, so $200 did not sound bad. Others said they should use Mason jars and people replied that was not something you would want rattling around the cockpit.
The Martin B-26 did not even have seats for the crew in the nose compartment, so they probably did not provide ashtrays.
Why would the Zeros pay attention to obsolete biplanes when their job is to protect the bombers? The F3F were slower than a Val and barely faster than a Kate. They pose no threat to the real target. Fighters exist because bombers exist. If a fighter can't catch a bomber it is useless. Assuming that the F3Fs will be in position to attract the Zeros while the F4Fs are in a completely different area to attack the bombers sounds like one of Yamato's overly complex plans.That might not have been a bad tactic. Get the Zeros to go after the F3F's so the F4F's could go after the bombers. Alert F3F pilots, working together, might not have been able to down any Zeros but would have been a very difficult target. Supposedly the F3F-3 could even outclimb a P-51 for the first 10,000 ft.
These still have the cuffed propellers, a feature that I like, for aesthetic reasons if nothing else.Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighters, of Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3), on board USS Saratoga (CV-3) in early
October 1941. Plane on the aircraft elevator is BuNo 3982 (3-F-9, later 3-F-15), piloted by Ensign Gayle Hermann.
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Could be the ragtag pack of one of Sven Hassel novelsKelly's Heroes German version
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In the spring of 1945, the new jet powered Me-262 was devastating the US bomber fleet. An officer proposed an idea to Air Command, why not add one of the allied developed jet engines under the nose of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. The idea was to use the jet to dash away from the German fighters for a short period. He was given permission to convert one B-17 for testing. The resulting aircraft was dubbed the "Jet Fortress" the crews. Its first flight was on April 1st, 1945. It quickly realized the jet engine, while it did provide a boost in speed, it was no where near the speed of the Me-262. The project, which was named "Operation Fool's April", was cancelled.
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